KENTUCKY LOOKOUTS
PETERS MOUNTAIN
McCreary County
Daniel Boone National Forest
Daniel Boone National Forest
April 7, 1938: "The 18th steel fire lookout tower to be built on the Cumberland National Forest is now ready to be manned, Forest Supervisor R. F. Hemingway announced here today.
The new observatory is located in McCreary county and will be known as the Peters Mountain Observatory. It is the first 73-foot observatory to be built since the former maximum height for such structures was 40 feet.
The cabin at the top of the observatory is 12 feet by 12 feet and accommodates all the equipment necessary for the lookout to operate, together with his living quarters." (Kentucky Advocate)
The new observatory is located in McCreary county and will be known as the Peters Mountain Observatory. It is the first 73-foot observatory to be built since the former maximum height for such structures was 40 feet.
The cabin at the top of the observatory is 12 feet by 12 feet and accommodates all the equipment necessary for the lookout to operate, together with his living quarters." (Kentucky Advocate)
November 7, 1970: "Six residents of Sterns were convicted recently of damaging government property on the Daniel Boone National Forest, Stearns District Ranger Glen W. Kile, Whitley City, said. The six appeared before U.S. Commissioner Charles R. Luker in Loncond.
Eddie Dawson and five juveniles were each sentenced to 10 days in jail and fined $50 for damaging the Peters Mountain fire lookout tower, located in McCreary County. The jail sentences and fines were suspended, and the six were placed on probation for six months. They also have to pay the Forest Service for the damage to the lookout tower.
Criminal Investigator Bill Dixon, Winchester, assisted Ranger Kile in the investigation and apprehension of the offenders." (Lexington Leader)
DESIGNATION - PETERS MOUNTAIN LOT 1950
PID - GB2629
STATE/COUNTY- KY/MCCREARY
COUNTRY - US
USGS QUAD - BARTHELL SW (2019)
STATION DESCRIPTION
DESCRIBED BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1950 (LWS)
STATION IS LOCATED ABOUT 13 MILES SOUTHWEST OF STEARNS. THE STATION
IS A 4-LEGGED STEEL STRUCTURE 90 FEET HIGH WITH A OBSERVATION ROOM
ATOP PAINTED GRAY. A TRAVERSE CONNECTION WAS MADE FROM TRIANGULATION
STATION PETERS AND THE DISTANCE WAS FOUND TO BE 1.506 METERS (4.94
FEET). THE POINT OBSERVED ON AND TRAVERSED TO WAS THE CENTER OF THE
BASE OF THE LOOKOUT TOWER.
TO REACH THE STATION FROM THE JUNCTION OF U.S. HIGHWAY NO. 27 AND
STATE HIGHWAY NO. 92 IN STEARNS, GO NORTHWEST ON STATE HIGHWAY NO. 92
FOR 5.2 MILES TO A GRAVEL T-ROAD LEFT AT THE WEST END OF A CONCRETE
BRIDGE, TURN LEFT AND GO 1.7 MILES TO WHERE ROAD FORKS, TAKE RIGHT
FORK AD GO 7.0 MILES TO A T-ROAD LEFT, CONTINUE STRAIGHT AHEAD FOR
2.9 MILES TO A T-ROAD INTERSECTION, TURN LEFT AND GO 0.1 MILE TO
WHERE ROAD FORKS, TAKE RIGHT FORK AND GO 0.15 MILE TO RAILROAD
TRACKS, CONTINUE ON DIRT ROAD FOR 0.1 MILE TO WHERE ROAD
FORKS, TAKE THE RIGHT FORK AND GO 0.8 MILE TO A T-ROAD RIGHT AND A
HOUSE ON THE RIGHT, TURN RIGHT AND GO UP HILL FOR 3.5 MILES TO
WHERE ROAD FORKS, TAKE THE RIGHT FORK AND GO 0.2 MILE TO THE LOOKOUT
TOWER AND THE STATION AS DESCRIBED.